Weiss turned 99 on Friday. Her shop, Irving's Toy and Card Shop, is an institution on Harvard Street.

She says she's never thought of selling -- and definitely not retiring. You can still buy Gumby, Slinkies and Duncan yo-yos at reasonable prices after careful shopping all the treasures hidden in nooks and crannies.

Weiss stocks her own shelves. She shuts down in the middle of the day if she needs a nap, but that doesn't happen often. Weiss has survived husbands and boyfriends.

"You've got to invite them for dinners, cook in the house and don't spend too much money," Weiss said.

To folks thinking about going into the business world, Weiss had some advice,

"Don't think you're going to hire everybody that's going to do just what you want. You've got to be involved," she said.

One of her daughters stops by daily to get her marching orders.

"It is pretty incredible, and I think the most important thing is that the reason she's still here is because she still enjoys it. And it's keeping her alive and active," Anita Jamieson said.

Weiss said she'll be here next year for the big birthday, as she says, "God willing."

HERE AND A GOOD SAFE TIME. NEW AT 6:00, ETHEL WEISS OWNS A TOY STORE IN BROOKLINE AND WAS HOPING TO CLOSE EARLY TODAY. I THINK SHE SHOULD, AFTER ALL IT IS HER BIRTHDAY. PUTTING A DAMPER ON HER PLANS, LOST OF WELL WISHERS AND AMONG THEM OUR OWN JANET WU WHO CONFIRMS IT'S NOT EASY TURNING 99 YEARS OLD. ETHEL HAS OWNED AND STILL SINGLE HANDEDLY RUN THIS IS ICONIC TOY STORE FOR 74 YEARS. WORKING ON YOUR BIRTHDAY? YEAH, OF COURSE. YOU SHOULD TAKE THE DAY OFF. NO, I CAN ENTERTAIN EVERYBODY. TODAY IS HER 99TH BIRTHDAY, HER SHOP IS A BROOKLINE INSTITUTION. SHE SAYS SHE'S NEVER THOUGHT OF SELLING AND DEFINITELY NOT RETIRING, CAN YOU STILL GET GUM BEE, SHRINKY, AND YOYOS. SHE KNOWS WHERE EVERYTHING IS HERE, WHICH IS AMAZING IN ITSELF. HER MENTAL ACUITY IS SPECTACULAR. SHE STOCKS HER OWN SHELVES, SHUTS DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY IF SHE NEEDS A NAP, BUT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN TOO OFTEN. HER HUSBANDS AND BOYFRIENDS? THEY'VE GOT TO INVITE THEM FOR DINNERS AND COOK IN THE HOUSE, AND DON'T SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY. TO FOLKS THINKING ABOUT GOING INTO THE BUSINESS WORLD. DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HIRE EVERYBODY THAT'S GOING TO DO JUST WHAT YOU WANT. YOU'VE GOT TO BE INVOLVED. AND TO SHOPLIFTERS. IF YOU DON'T INTEND TO STEAL, DON'T ACT LIKE YOU ARE. BUT FOR FOUR GENERATIONS OF CUSTOMERS, MANY OF WHOM CAME BACK TODAY TO THANK HER FOR HER KINDNESS AND SPIRIT. BE THOUGHTFUL AND DON'T EXPECT TOO MUCH. ONE OF HER DAUGHTERS STOPS BY DAILY TO GET HER MARCHING ORDERS. IT IS PRETTY INCREDIBLE, AND I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE REASON WHY SHE'S STILL HERE. IS BECAUSE E SHE STILL ENJOYS IT. AND IT'S KEEPING HER ALIVE AND ACTIVE. ON THIS DAY OF FLOWERS, CANDY AND TELEPHONE CALLS, ETHEL WEISS HAS TO TAKE THE USUAL DUMB QUESTIONS THAT COME WITH THIS BIRTHDAY. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE 99? I'M HAPPY I'M HERE. HE SAYS SHE'LL BE HERE NEXT YEAR FOR THE REALLY BIG BIRTHDAY, OR AS SHE SAYS, GOD WILLING.

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